Agenda - Council - 04/14/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I CASE # / CONSIDER 149TH AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING By: Steve Jankowski, City Engineer Background: · Residents in the area of 149th Avenue, between Ramsey Boulevard and Uranimite Street, have been expressing concern regarding speeding on 149th Avenue. At the March 17, 1998 Road and Bridge Committee meeting, staff was directed to prepare a Council case which would include a number of traffic calming measures. A case was presented at the March 24, 1998 Council meeting. At that meeting, Mrs. Patty Hoffman appeared representing the neighborhood and requested that no action be taken until there was an opportunity to discuss the issue of speed humps with the neighborhood. Council directed that this be discussed at the April 21, 1998 Road and Bridge Committee meeting. On March 27, 1998, the City received a faxed letter fi.om Mrs. Patty Hoffman, which is attached, supporting the installation of speed humps and requesting that the issue be placed on the April 14 Council meeting. Also attached is a letter from Mike and Bonnie Suby regarding a cul-de-sac be installed on 149th Avenue at Ramsey Boulevard. Observations: The street patterns within this neighborhood have been in place for nearly twenty years. Although the long, straight alignment of 149th Avenue does make it conducive to speeding, it is hardly a unique street design. There are 13 similar locations on residential streets which have straight alignments one-half mile or greater in length. There are over sixty locations which have straight alignments between one-quarter and one-half mile in length. It is also clear that, except for the placing of warning and regulatory signs, any of the other discussed methods of traffic calming will require significant expenditures which have not been budgeted by the Council. Recent development within the City may pay some role in causing additional traffic on 149th Avenue, most likely from the Northfork developments and the Hunters Ridge subdivision, but staff believes this traffic is a minor component of the cut-through traffic. It is also significant to note that the construction of C.R. #116 will eliminate the cut-through traffic fi.om neighborhoods west of Armstrong. In view of the above, it would seem reasonable that the Council consider special assessing the cost of any traffic calming improvements ordered. Speed Hump Alternatives: Attached are three separate alternatives which include the installation of speed humps through the immediate 149th Avenue neighborhood. The illustrations identify the location of the speed humps, the properties that are considered benefited by the humps, the total cost of installation and the per unit cost that each property would be responsible for if special assessed. The individual property costs range from $311 to $533. It should be noted that removal of the humps, if desired at some point in the future, would cost a similar amount. These removal costs should also be considered for special assessment. Cul-de-Sac Altemative: As noted previously in the case, we have a letter requesting cul-de- sacing 149th Avenue near Ramsey Boulevard. Previously, there has been some discussion of cul-de-sacing 149th Avenue at Uranimite. As was discussed at the March 25, 1998 meeting,